Prince Sirki Summons Hiroshi Koizumi

Greetings, Friends and Fiends.

Ye Olde Dragon here, with sad tidings. Today, at the age of 88, veteran Toho actor, Hiroshi Koizumi passed away. Koizumi was one of those actors you’d recognize as soon as you saw him, even if you didn’t remember – or even know – his name. Many of you would recognize him from his more famous roles, such as the pilot hero in Motoyoshi Oda‘s GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN (1955) (aka GIGANTIS THE FIRE MONSTER) (“Banana Oil!”) or as Dr. Miura in each of Ishiro Honda‘s MOTHRA VS GODZILLA (1964) (aka GODZILLA VS THE THING) and Honda‘s GHIDRAH – THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964). His most famous role though, would probably be as the scientist Shinichi Chujo, in Honda‘s MOTHRA (1961). This is a role he reprised in the Millenium Era‘s GODZILLA: TOKYO SOS (2003), directed by Masaaki Tezuka. Mr. Koizumi was a graduate of Toho‘s third “New Face” program of acting classes. In the 1990s, Mr. Koizumi hosted the long-running game show, called QUIZ GRAND PRIX.